Teen Accused of Acting as Go-Between for ISIL

(CN) – A 19-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested Thursday and charged with trying to support ISIL, accused of acting as a middle man between the terrorist group and would-be fighters. A 22-page criminal complaint unsealed Thursday charges Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, and attempting to provide material support to the U.S-.designated terrorist group. Aziz, a U.S. citizen, “espouses violent jihadist beliefs” and “uses social media to spread ISIL propaganda,” according to the complaint. He has used at least 57 different Twitter accounts to advocate violence against the United States and promote pro-ISIL views, the federal government claims. Aziz is accused of posting links with identifying information of U.S. military members. The 19-year-old also allegedly used social media to help people looking to travel to the Middle East and fight for ISIL. He once acted as an intermediary between ISIL members and an individual in Turkey, the government says. “Aziz has conspired with others and attempted to facilitate the travel of other ISIL supporters to Syria so that they can become ISIL fighters,” the complaint states. A Nov. 27, 2015, search of Aziz’s residence turned up a backpack with “numerous high-capacity weapons magazines, ammunition, a knife and other survival items,” according to the complaint. The U.S. Justice Department said Aziz was arrested Thursday. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will move with speed to detect and disrupt those who are involved in facilitation or operational planning in support of a terrorist organization. There is no difference between the two, and we will aggressively pursue every threat in order to protect our communities,” William Sweeney, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia division, said in a statement. “In this instance, Aziz operated quietly on behalf of the Islamic State and facilitated others looking to do the same.”